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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Nov 1987

Vol. 375 No. 5

Written Answers. - Jury Service.

62.

asked the Minister for Justice the steps he proposes to take to enable a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22 to do jury service from the 8 December 1987 for which he has been called; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that as he is confined to a wheelchair he has now been informed that it is not possible for him to serve due to the inaccessibility of the court rooms, the jury rooms and the entire buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The person concerned is not required to do jury service from 8 December, having been excused at his own request. I am not aware and it is not a fact that he was at any stage informed that it was not possible for him to serve as he is confined to a wheelchair. In the course of several telephone conversations on the matter the Jury Office made a point of assuring him that he had a constitutional right to serve on a jury but, quite properly, indicated a number of practical difficulties in the way of his doing so. The main courtrooms, jury boxes, jury rooms and associated toilet facilities in the Four Courts are approached by steps making access difficult for a person confined to a wheelchair.

I have asked the Office of Public Works to see if there are any practical steps which can be taken to remedy the position but I must point out that because of the design and layout of the Four Courts this is likely to present serious difficulties.

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